


Gotham by Ghost Light

by Cornerofmadness



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Buddies, Case Fic, Gen, Injury Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:48:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25513816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cornerofmadness/pseuds/Cornerofmadness
Summary: JT knows Malcolm is in rough shape. He’s recovering from being kidnapped. He’s failed a psych evaluation (even if part of that was a sting operation). He’s supposed to be resting and he’s definitely off-limits for work. Even knowing all that, JT also knows this case has ‘Malcolm Bright can help’ written all over it.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16
Collections: Fandom Giftbox 2020





	Gotham by Ghost Light

**Author's Note:**

> **Notes:** written for Nothfan for the 2020 fandom gift box challenge.

JT sat in the far back of the hotel conference room. The chairs were crammed in so tight, most people couldn’t sit without their thighs touching. The air conditioning pumped but the room remained stuffy enough to cause a trickle of sweat roll down his spine. His badge had gotten him into the convention but he had to wait for Bright to be finished before he could speak to him. In the meantime, JT helped himself to the snack table, taking a couple of miniature bear claws and some oranges to make Tally happy he was eating healthy. 

Bright appeared unfazed at how packed the conference room was. The crowd made JT nervous and he was only sitting and listening to Bright talk. The WriteCrime conference was banging, wall to wall authors, podcasters and true crime buffs and well, hell was that Edrisa in the front row? Yes, it was. Didn’t she get enough of looking longingly at Bright at work? JT supposed she did listen to true crime podcasts long before Gil brought his crazy son onboard.

Something was off about Bright today. Oh, he was running off at the mouth, had the audience on the edge of their seat, literally in some cases, but his energy had gone walkabout. His hands didn’t ‘talk’ as he did his spiel like they usually did, though the cast on one of them might have been the cause. He held himself rigid, leaning a bit on the podium. Did he hurt still? JT suspected so because Bright had obviously tried to come to work too soon after what Watkins had done to him before Gil booted his ass again. Also, JT had seen the blood-stained secret room and had staggered out that day, wondering how the hell Bright had survived so much blood loss. 

Listening to Bright talk about the twisted psychology of serial killers, quoting papers, a couple he wrote himself according to the conference program, JT was glad the guy was on their side. He was smart; Bright was insightful; he understood the killers intimately. JT knew this already but seeing him in full on lecture mode drove it home.

Once his talk was done, never once touching on his father, on The Surgeon’s crimes, in spite of being asked, Malcolm didn’t make it out of the lecture hall as fast as JT had hoped. He stole another couple mini pastries while he waited. Malcolm finally made it out with Edrisa shooing people away as if she was the bodyguard. Both of them lit up spotting him and they hustled over.

“JT, I didn’t peg you for someone looking to write mysteries down the road,” Malcolm said.

“I’d love to help if you are,” Edrisa added.

JT huffed at them. “I’m here unofficially to ask for some help.”

Malcolm’s eyebrows rose, and JT swore his eyes went three shades deeper blue. “Really?”

“Yeah, can you leave? Get some coffee?”

Malcolm nodded. “Edrisa, you probably better not be part of this just in case JT gets yelled at for consulting with me, since I’m technically not allowed to work until the cast is off.”

 _And you actually pass the psych evaluation, Florida,_ JT mentally finished Bright’s thought for him.

She patted his arm. “No problem. I want to catch one of the author’s readings and then I’m on for my talk just after that.”

“If I can, I’ll be back to hear you. If not…” Malcolm gestured to JT as if to place blame.

“I can always give you a private lecture if you miss it,” she burbled and bounced off.

JT pictured how that private talk would go and almost felt sorry for Malcolm. Almost. “Your talk was interesting.”

“Thanks. Did I hear the promise of coffee?”

XXX

JT let him pick the coffee house, wondering if there was any coffee that put Malcolm’s stomach off. None he had ever seen but he let Malcolm do the picking just in case. They sat in a window table that would probably leave his milky skin sunburned if they were there too long. 

“So, you have a case?” He asked, cappuccino foam frosting the designer scruff above his lip. Malcolm fastidiously wiped it off. Some of it still clung to the little scar he had there.

“A weird one. We have two dead already. One was in front of the Dakota. She was rolled out of a stolen car – someone knew there was a ton of on-street surveillance there – and this was tossed out with her. I looked it up.” JT brought up a picture on the phone to show him the device. “It’s a-”

“RemPod, how curious.”

“Of course, you know what it is.” JT narrowed his eyes. “Why do you know what it is?”

Malcolm waved him off. “And the other body?”

JT pulled up another photo. “He was also rolled out of stolen car in front of the Morris Jumel Mansion with a whatever that is.” He pointed to a piece of equipment Dani was currently researching.

“A 360-degree parascope.”

JT let his hand fall. “What the hell, bro?”

Malcolm snatched the phone away, scrolling excitedly as he ignored JT’s annoyed glare. “Now I regret sending Edrisa away. She would love this. I’m sure she’s working the autopsies.”

“No, she’s been on vacation for this WriteCrime thing. You’re not answering my questions.”

“REM-Pods and parascopes are ghost hunting tools. Edrisa loves that stuff, and she’s gotten me interested again. I had a friend who was into paranormal investigating. She used to bring me along. Actually I know more than one person who does this sort of thing.”

“I can’t even with you and Edrisa.” JT shook his head. “You two are going to make the weirdest damn kids.”

“Not the way to ask for a favor, JT.” Malcolm narrowed his eyes, surrendering the phone, but JT knew he wouldn’t say no. The hook was way down in his belly already. 

“So, that’s what I have. Two highly expensive locations, stolen cars and ghost hunting equipment. Dani is running down where the stuff was bought and looking at where the cars were stolen. We agreed we should talk to you.”

“There’s another connection,” he said, pulling out his phone. 

“I’m listening.”

“The Dakota and the Morris Jumel mansion are both known to be haunted.”

JT blinked, swigged his coffee and ran through several things he wanted to say. He decided to error on the side of caution. Bright had been through too much lately. “Do you believe in ghosts?”

Malcolm rolled his shoulders. “I can’t say that I do nor do I totally disbelieve in them. There’s room in my head for the possibility. On the other hand, my suggestion to let ghost hunters into the Milton homestead, because if any place would be haunted, it’s there, was met with a well thrown shoe. I almost needed stitches in my shoulder.” A hint of a smile played across his face.

“Your mother is a formidable woman.”

“You don’t have to tell me.” He glanced at his phone. “Want to meet someone who might help you?”

“What did you have in mind?” 

“It’s better if I just show you. She has time to meet now.”

JT shrugged. “Let’s do it.”

XXX

It was only a short drive to Bright’s friend’s place but JT wondered if he had ended up in another dimension. The woman was welcoming, offered them tea which Bright took because he wasn’t jittery enough on caffeine apparently. Carrie was otherwise not as expected, though what he expected JT couldn’t say. However, someone in a Victorian gown, her hair stacked up on her head in an equally old-fashioned style, he couldn’t have even imagined.

“Carrie, this is Detective JT Tarmel. JT, Carrie Walters, author, ghost hunter and tour guide for Ghostly Gotham. They do various tours of history and hauntings in the city. Carrie, JT has a case where two people have been dumped in front of famously haunted places, and they had a piece of ghost hunting equipment left with them. I thought you might have some ideas. You know the ghost hunting community well. I don’t and JT definitely doesn’t.”

“Got that right but I’m willing to listen to whatever you have to say.”

Carrie smiled at him. “I don’t listen to the news much so I’ve not heard of this. Can you tell me anything about the victims? I know that you can’t tell me a lot of things about a case but can you at least tell me their names.”

JT took out his phone again and blew up the picture so she would only see the victim’s face. “This is Laura-”

“Cartwright, I know her.” Carrie thinned her lips, playing the lace on her cuffs nervously.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right. I didn’t like her.” Carrie made a face. “She had a ghost hunting team.”

“There’s a connection for you,” Malcolm said.

JT nodded and did the same with the other victim. “Know him?”

“Jon Kettenacker, part of Laura’s team.”

“More than a connection,” Malcolm muttered.

“What can you tell me about these two?” JT leaned in eagerly.

“You’re missing two more team members. Adrienne Caudill and Margie Worth. They were a good team once. They worked with mine from time to time. Then they started to see a more commercial side to this, if you get my meaning.” Carrie poured herself a bit more tea and topped off Malcolm’s cup. 

“You had a problem with that?”

“It’s not how I conduct my business but I’m not opposed to commerce, Detective Tarmel. What I found upsetting was they started offering services to the people they did investigations for. You know how it goes.”

JT shook his head. “Can’t say that I do.”

“The house is haunted. Most of the time that isn’t something evil or dangerous like the TV shows like to make it out to be. But there is a certain mystique, an excitement, in telling people that there is a dangerous entity, a shadow man, an earth spirit, a demon, whatever in the house. They need a shaman or a psychic medium to cleanse the home and then someone to cleanse _your_ soul to break attachments. Now, attachments do happen, don’t get me wrong but it’s not as common as they made it out on TV. That just makes for an exciting show.”

“But people see this and think that’s how it always is,” Malcolm said, using the handle of his tea spoon to scratch under his hand’s cast. A supremely satisfied smile flashed over his face.

“Yes. Laura and her team had started down that path, telling people their homes were unlivable unless they hired her team to do these cleansings.”

“So, it’s a con,” JT said.

Carrie scowled. “Ghosts are not but what they were doing, yes, I’m sure it was.”

“That might be a good way to get dead,” he huffed. “Thank you, Carrie. This is a lead I wouldn’t have thought of. I didn’t even know they did the ghost hunting thing, until you just told me. You saved us a lot of time,” JT said as his phone rang.

“You’re welcome. Malcolm, thanks for bringing me something interesting.” Carrie smiled at him.

“Powell, what’s up?” JT said into the phone, frowning at the answer. “I’m actually not that far from the Algonquin. I can be there in a few.” When he signed off, JT noticed Bright’s crazy grin. “Oh hell, what? Is the Algonquin haunted too?”

“Famously so,” he replied with a little bounce in his seat. “Let me and Carrie come.”

“Hell no.”

“Come on, Carrie knows these people. We’ll stay behind the police lines,” Bright wheedled. JT swore he was about to vibrate out of his skin.

“Was there some part of hell no you didn’t get?”

“You’re the one who came to me,” Malcolm argued. 

JT threw up his hands. “Fine but you stay out of Gil’s line of sight.” Bright wouldn’t but at least JT could say he tried. “And you find your own way home.”

Malcolm clapped JT’s arm with his casted hand, which was a bit more rough than friendly. “You won’t regret this.”

“Oh, I’m sure I will.”

JT listened to Carrie’s tales of things Laura’s team had gotten up to as he drove to the crime scene. She seemed a bit regretful she hadn’t suggested to someone that Laura was running a con. She said they seemed more sketchy than outrightly dishonest. On the other hand, she’d heard whispers that lately they had talked some home owners into selling them their homes that couldn’t be cleansed and they would make a haunted museum of them like some of the TV ghosthunters had done. Carrie hadn’t believed it but what if it was true? If it was true, JT knew she had just handed him motive for two murders and probably three if this was another member of the team.

“You stay back.” He wagged a finger under Malcolm’s nose once they parked and were out of the car. He didn’t wait for Bright’s ‘will do’ because Dani and Gil needed him and because he knew damn well Bright had just lied to him. _I tried, Gil. I really did._

Sure enough Dani’s eyes grew so big when she spotted him, he knew Bright was behind him with a woman in a Victorian gown right on his heels without him having to turn and look. Bright curled his fingers over JT’s shoulder and pointed with his casted hand.

“That’s a Boo-Buddy,” he said, indicating the teddy bear next to the body on the sidewalk in front of the Algonquin. 

“How is this staying back and out of Gil’s line of sight?” JT asked as Gil shot him a look. “What the hell is a Boo-Buddy?”

“It’s an interactive trigger device. Its paws are EMF readers. It asks questions and invites the spirits to play with it. If there is a change in EMF, temperature or motion, the bear lights up and talks,” Carried replied.

“Wait? You sit around in the dark and wait for a teddy bear to speak out of nowhere?” JT asked as Gil and Dani walked to the police barricade. The thought gave him goose pimples.

Bright bobbed his head rapidly. “It’s exciting.”

JT thought about ninety percent of the horror flicks he’d ever seen and knew what generally happened to any Black characters. He didn’t see himself sitting in some creepy ass basement waiting for a bear to ask a question because some ghost touched it. “Pass.”

“And that’s Margie Worth, Detective Tarmel,” Carrie said. 

“Then that just leaves Adrienne Caudill.”

“JT?” Dani asked as Gil turned his laser gaze to Bright who merely grinned and waved unabashedly. _Figures he didn’t have sense to realize he was about to get an ass chewing._ No, JT corrected himself. He knew but he also knew Gil would let him get away with crap because that’s what Dads did.

“Bright knew someone who’s been a help.” JT waved a hand back at Carrie who preened, straightening a wrinkle in her blue gown. “She does ghost tours around town and she knew our victims. We need to get some uniforms to protect Adrienne Caudill. She’s the last member of a ghost hunting team who might have been fleecing clients. Our other two victims and Ms. Worth over there were the rest of the team. I think Carrie is on to something but she’s going home now.” He glanced at her.

“Of course, Detective Tarmel.” Carrie dug in her purse and came up with a small stack of tickets. “Come join a tour some night.”

JT took the tickets, nonplussed. “Thanks, and Bright is leaving too, Gil. He insisted I bring…well you know how he is.”

“I’m quite familiar with how he can manipulate but he knows he can’t be here.” There was no mistaking the steel in Gil’s tone.

Bright threw up his hands. “If I hurry, I can make it back to the WriteCrime convention in time to hear Edrisa’s talk, and they’re having a ball tonight. Wouldn’t want to miss that. Carrie, I can get you in as a guest. You’ll enjoy Edrisa’s presentation if you want to come.”

“I’d love to.”

Bright offered her his arm and they sashayed off. JT shook his head watching them go. “I almost want to be there to see Bright at a ball with that woman and Edrisa.”

“Do I even want to know how any of this happened?” Dani asked.

“She’s Bright’s friend. Is it a surprise his friends are as weird as he is?” JT crossed the barricade so he could get to work.

“Aren’t we his friends now?” She smirked.

“We’re the exception that proves the rule.”

“Why don’t you lay it out for us?” Gil suggested. “What did Bright and Carrie have to say?”

He filled them in, sure this was the right path. With his luck they’d find a bunch of pissed off clients but this was a lot more information than they had this morning. If they could at least save Ms. Caudill, him asking for Bright’s help was the right thing to do. Of course, he’d probably have to go ghost hunting with the crazy dude but he couldn’t complain too much. Tally would probably enjoy it. Smiling, JT threw himself into his work. He doubted Gil would chastise him for going to Bright without telling him, and if it got the results he thought it would, then they’d all be happy. He might not have wanted Bright around in the beginning but Gil, like usual, was right. Bright was one of them, and JT was glad to have him on the team. Hell, he was looking forward to Bright being back full time. Who could have predicted that?

**Author's Note:**

>  _Note_ Ghostly Gotham tours is inspired by a real ghost tour group in NYC, Boroughs of the Dead (Gotham being a Washington Irving nickname for the city, NOT inspired by Batman though a case could be made for that too) Carrie is modeled after actress/author/Boroughs tour guide and all around cool lady, Leanna Renee Hieber (check out her books if you like paranormal reads)


End file.
